The present-day U.S. military qualifies by any measure as highly professional, much more so than its Cold War predecessor. Yet the purpose of today’s professionals is not to preserve peace but to fight unending wars in distant places. Intoxicated by a post-Cold War belief in its own omnipotence, the United States allowed itself to be drawn into a long series of armed conflicts, almost all of them yielding unintended consequences and imposing greater than anticipated costs. Since the end of the Cold War, U.S. forces have destroyed many targets and killed many people. Only rarely, however, have they succeeded in accomplishing their assigned political purposes. . . . [F]rom our present vantage point, it becomes apparent that the “Revolution of ‘89” did not initiate a new era of history. At most, the events of that year fostered various unhelpful illusions that impeded our capacity to recognize and respond to the forces of change that actually matter.

Andrew Bacevich


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

War News for tuesday, September 23, 2014


Reported security incidents
#1: 11 died in an armed clash between two Baluch separatist groups which took place in southwestern Baluchistan province on Monday, officials said. The Home Secretary of Baluchistan, Akbar Durrani said the clash occurred in the remote Turbat district, located some 750 Kilometers off Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan which borders Iran and Afghanistan.

#2: At least four people, including a child, were killed and 24 others injured today in a powerful car bomb suicide attack targeting a convoy of security forces in this restive northwestern Pakistani city. The explosion took place when a convoy of Frontier Corps (FC) was passing through the Saddar Road in Peshawar in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. City police chief Ijaz Khan visited the spot of the bombing and told reporters that the target of the attack was brigadier Khalid Javed of the FC but he survived the blast. Gunfire was also reported from the area after the blast and windows of nearby buildings and cars were shattered.

#3: At least 23 more suspected terrorists were killed in the ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb launched by the Pakistan Army in North Waziristan Agency, according to a statement issued by military's media wing. A statement released by the ISPR said that gunship helicopters and fighter jets targeted militant hideouts in Bandegar areas of Ghulam Khan.

#4: 162 rockets were fired by Pakistani forces on Kunar province last night. Colonel Abdul Habib Syeedkhail police chief of Kunar province said BNA, Pakistani forces fired 162 rockets on different parts of Dangam district which had no human casualties but, inflected damages to agricultural lands.

#5: "Units of police backed by the army have conducted series of anti-terrorism operations in Nangarhar, Kapisa, Laghman, Balkh, Zabul and Helmand provinces over the past 24 hours. As a result, 38 armed Taliban insurgents have been killed, three wounded and four others arrested," Interior Ministry said in a statement released here on Tuesday.

#6: A doctor who was busy in administering the immunity vaccine to children under five to eradicate polio the crippling children disease in a village of Watapor district in the eastern Kunar province was abducted by Taliban militants on Monday, provincial police Abdul Habib Sayed Khili told reporters Tuesday. The police chief also said the armed militants later on the day sprayed bullets on the innocent doctor and brutally killed him on the spot and thus forcing health workers to stop polio campaign there in the village.

#7: Two mine planters were killed in Matakhan district, Paktika province last night. Defense ministry press office said BNA, two mine planters wanted to plant an anti-vehicle mine in Matakhan district, Paktika province; the mine exploded and killed them.

#8: A senior Taliban leader was shot dead along with three other Taliban fighters by unknown gunmen in western Herat province of Afghanistan. According to local security officials, Mullah Ghani Shah was shadow district governor of Pashtun Zarghoon district who was shot dead by unknown gunmen early Tuesday morning.

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